Funding Support and Sponsor Types

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is part of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research. The NIH funds investigator – initiated basic, clinical and translational research, program project grants, center grants, research training grants and other research related programs. The NIH is made up of 20 institutes and seven centers. Each institute and/or center has different research priorities and different application success rates. It is important to familiarize yourself with an institute before applying for funding.

The NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) is a central repository for guidance on grant, contract, and funding opportunities supported the NIH.

The NIH Guide to Grants and Contracts provides weekly announcements on RFAs (Requests for Applications), PAs (Program Announcements) and recent notices (NO).

RFAs and PAs are the two major means by which various institutes request proposals. RFAs tend to address a narrowly defined area for which specific funds have been set aside while PAs have multiple submission dates throughout the year, and specific funds may not be reserved.

The NIH Training and Career Development (F-T and K –series Awards) fund students, fellows, and junior and senior faculty to develop their research skills.

The NIH T Series Grants: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Institutional Research Training Series provides long term (T32) and short term (T35) predoctoral and postdoctoral research training opportunities in biomedical, behavioral and clinical research.

The NIH F Series Grants: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Research Training Series provides funds for postdoctoral training (F32) and senior fellowships (F33) as well as pre-doctoral minority students (F30) and students with disabilities (F31).

The NIH K Series Grants: At least eight different K series awards are available to support faculty members at various points in their career to become independent researchers. A Career Award Wizard will assist in deciding to which K award to apply.

The NIH Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR): The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is a set-aside program (2.5% of an agency’s extramural budget) for domestic small businesses interested in engaging in Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) that can be commercialized.

Heath Resources Services Administration (HRSA): The Health Resources and Services Administration is an agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). HRSA’s six bureaus and twelve offices form this federal agency with primary responsibilities for improving access to health care services for uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable people. Current areas of funding focus include people living with HIV/AIDS, pregnant women, mothers and children, training for health professionals, rural healthcare, organ donation and telemedicine.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The Center for Disease Control is an agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The CDC is composed of seven national centers and has a primary responsibility of promoting health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability. Current areas of funding focus include environmental health, injury prevention, global health, health promotion, infectious diseases, public health information, health marketing, health statistics, bioterrorism preparedness and emergency response, workplace health and safety.

National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that was founded to promote progress in all fields of fundamental science and engineering, except for the medical sciences. The NSF competitively awards grants and cooperative agreements for research and education in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) The primary responsibilities of DHS include leveraging the nation’s scientific and technological resources to provide federal, state, and local officials with the technology and capabilities to protect the homeland. The DHS funds projects designed to counter threats to the homeland.

The Department of War (DOD) through the office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) funds peer-reviewed research aimed at preventing, controlling, and curing diseases such as breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers, neurofibromatosis, military health, and other specified areas.

Department of Defense’s Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) The purpose of the DURIP is to improve the capabilities of higher education institutions in the United States to conduct research and to educate scientists and engineers in areas important to national defense. DURIP achieves this goal by providing funds to universities for the acquisition of research instruments and equipment. Further information can be found here.

 

 

 

Many private foundations provide funding opportunities for basic, clinical and public health research and related programs. Candid.org (formerly the Foundation Center) provides a wealth of information on foundations and fundraising, finding funders and finding grants. The Office of Research oversees submissions to foundations submitted in response to a specific announcement. The UNT Health Office of Institutional Advancement oversees foundation funding pertaining to unsolicited proposals and should be contacted before an unsolicited foundation-funding proposal is submitted.

A partial list of foundations providing funding includes the following:
American Cancer Society
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Cancer Treatment Research Foundation
Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
American Psychiatric Foundation
Josiah Macy Foundation
March of Dimes
Lymphoma Research Foundation
Paralyzed Veterans of America Research Foundation
American Health Information Management Association
American Federation for Medical Research
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Samueli Institute

 

Many professional associations provide information on grants and funding opportunities on their web sites.

A partial list of professional associations with UNT Health faculty as members providing funding include the following:
Alzheimer’s Association
American Diabetes Association
American Heart Association
American Osteopathic Association
American Psychiatric Association
American College of Surgeons Resident
American Lung Association
American Academy of Family Physicians